2 Esdras

1And the malak that was sent to me, whose name was Uriel, gave me an answer,

2And said, Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world, and do you think to comprehend the way of the Most High YAHWEH? — 1En 20:2

3Then said I, Yes, Sir. And he answered me, and said, I am sent to show you three ways, and to set forth three similitudes before you:

4Whereof if you can solve one for me, I will show you also the way that you desire to see, and I shall teach you why and from where the evil heart comes from.

5And I said, Speak on, my master. Then said he to me, Go your way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call back for me the day that is past.

6Then answered I and said, What man is able to do that, that you should ask such things of me?

7And he said to me, If I should ask you how many great dwellings are in the middle of the sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deep, or how many springs are above the firmament, or which are the exits of hell, or which are the entrances of paradise?

8Peradventure you would say to me, I never went down into the deep, nor as yet into hell, neither did I ever ascend into heaven.

9Nevertheless now have I asked you but only of the fire and wind, and of the day, things through which you have passed and without which you cannot exist, and yet can you give me no answer of them.

10He said moreover to me, You cannot understand and know the things with which you have grown up with;

11How should your mind then be able to comprehend the way of YAHWEH the Most High, and the world being now outwardly corrupted to understand the corruption that is evident in my sight?

12When I heard this, I fell on my face and said to him, It would be better for us not to be here than to come here and live checedless, and to suffer, and not to know and understand why.

13He answered me, and said, I went into a forest into a plain, and the trees took counsel,

14And said, Come, let us go and make war against the sea that it may recede before us, and that we may make for ourselves more forests.

15Likewise the waves of the sea also in like manner took counsel, and said, Come, let us go up and subdue the forests of the plain, that there also we may gain more territory for ourselves.

16But the plan of the forest was in vain, for the fire came and consumed it.

17Likewise also the plan of the waves of the sea came to nought, for the sand stood firm and stopped them.

18If now you were to judge now between these two, whom would you begin to justify? or whom would you condemn?

19I answered and said, Each has made a foolish plan that they both have devised, for the ground is given to the wood, and the sea also has his place to carry its waves.

20Then answered he me, and said, You have given a right judgment, but why judge you not yourself also?

21For like as the ground is given to the wood, and the sea to its waves: even so they that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwells above the heavens may only understand the things that are above the height of the heavens.

22Then answered I and said, I beseech YOU YAHWEH ALMIGHTY, Why have I been endowed with the power of understanding?

23For it was not my mind to inquire about the ways above, but of such as pass by us daily and experience, namely, wherefore Yisrael is given up as a reproach to the heathen, and for what cause the people whom YOU have loved is given up to checedless nations, and why the Torah of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written covenants come to none effect,

24And we pass away out of the world like grasshoppers, and our life is like a vapor with astonishment and fears, and we are not worthy to obtain mercy.

25What will HE then do for HIS NAME, by which we are called? It is about these things have I asked.

26Then he answered me, and said, The more you search, you will see, the more you will marvel; because the age is hastening swiftly to its end,

27And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this age is full of sad unrighteousness and infirmities.

28But as concerning the things which you ask me, I will tell you; for the evil is sown, but the harvest of it has not yet come.

29If therefore that which has been sown is not reaped, and if the place where the evil is sown does not pass away, then the field where the tov has been sown will not come.

30For the grain of evil seed was sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much wickedness has it brought up to this time, and how much shall it yet bring forth until the time of threshing comes!

31Ponder now by yourself, how great fruit of wickedness a grain of evil seed has brought forth.

32And when the ears shall be cut down, which are without number, how great a threshing floor they will fill! When Will The New Age Come?

33Then I answered and said, How long, and when shall these things come to pass? Why are our years few and evil?

34And he answered me and said, Do not you hasten faster than the Most High YAHWEH: for your haste is in vain to be above HIM, but YAHWEH the Most High hastens on behalf of many.

35Did not the souls also of the righteous in their chambers ask question of these matters, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? And when will comes the fruit of the floor of our reward?

36And to these things Uriel the malak gave them answer, and said, When the number of those seeds like yourselves is filled: for HE has weighed the age in the balance,

37And HE measure the times by measure; and numbered the times by number; and HE will not move nor stir them, until the said measure be fulfilled.

38Then answered I and said, Oh Sovereign YAHWEH that bear rule, but all of us also are full of checedlessness impiety.

39And for our sakes peradventure it is that the floors of the righteous are not filled, because of the sins of them that dwell upon the earth.

40So he answered me, and said, Go your way to a woman with child, and ask of her when she has fulfilled her nine months, if her womb can keep the child any longer within her.

41Then said I, No, my master, that she cannot. And he said to me, In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman:

42For just as a woman that travails makes haste to escape the necessity of the travail: even so do these places haste to deliver those things that are committed to them from the beginning.

43Then the things that you desire to see, it shall be shown to you. How Much Time Remains?

44Then answered I and said, If I have found favor in your sight, and if it be possible, and if I be worthy,

45Show me this also: whether there be more time is to come than has past, or whether for us the greater part has gone by.

46For I know what has gone by, but what is to come I do not know.

47And he said to me, Stand up at my right side, and I shall expound the interpretation of a parable to you.

48So I stood and looked, and behold, a flaming burning furnace passed by before me: and it happened that when the flame was gone by I looked, and, behold, the smoke remained still.

49And after this a watery cloud passed by before me, and sent down much rain with a storm; and when the rainstorm had passed, the drops remained still.

50Then he said to me, Consider within yourself; as the rain is more than the drops, and as the fire is greater than the smoke; but the drops and the smoke remain behind: so the quantity that passed was far greater; but drops and smoke remained.

51Then I prayed, and said, Do you think that I shall live until those days? Or what shall happen in those days?

52He answered me, and said, Concerning the signs about which you ask me, I can tell you of them in part: but as touching your life, I am not sent to show you; for I do not know it.